1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a baseball backstop for pitching training. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a baseball backstop including a rectangular frame and a netting which is attached to the frame and coveys an area bound by the frame. A piece of material is placed directly in front of the netting and attached to the netting and/or the frame. The piece of material is preferably made of canvass. When a thrown ball hits the canvass, a popping or thumping noise is made by the ball hitting the canvass and indicates to a person that the thrown ball is a "strike". The thrown ball is stopped by the canvass and falls to the ground in an area close to the frame for easy retrieval of the thrown ball.
The netting is made of a finely meshed material so that when a thrown ball hits the netting, the thrown ball is stopped by the netting and falls to the ground in an area close to the frame for easy retrieval. No popping or thumping noise is made, when a ball hits the netting, indicating that the thrown ball is a "ball".
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed under 37 CFR .sctn..sctn.1.97-1.99
Heretofore, various devices have been proposed to help train a baseball player, especially a pitcher, to throw a baseball accurately and consistently. Several examples of such backstops are disclosed in the following U.S. Patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Patentee ______________________________________ 4,497,485 Macosko 4,364,562 White et al. ______________________________________
The Macosko U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,485 discloses a baseball pitching target having a rectangular peripheral tubular frame supported by members which are staked to the ground. A mesh backstop is provided across the interior of the frame. The mesh backstop has an insert that represents a catcher's chest protector, shoulder pads, knee pads and mitt. A person throws a ball at the insert. Balls thrown at the insert which are "strikes" are collected in compartmentalized ball receiving bags located in the inset portion of the mesh. Balls thrown at the insert that are "balls" hit the mesh and are projected back toward the pitcher due to a spring action of the mesh backstop.
The White et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,562 discloses a baseball rebound target for training baseball players, particularly pitchers. The device includes a laminated, impact resistant target board which is rigidly attached to a frame structure. The frame structure includes a top cross-bar to which front and rear supporting legs are movably attached. Horizontal cross bars are attached to the front legs and the laminated, impact resistant target board is attached to the horizontal cross bars. A net structure is preferably attached to the frame structure so that thrown balls which miss the target are caught in the net and easily retrieved.